As large numbers of objects are moved in inventory, product manufacturing, and merchandising operations, there is a continuous challenge to accurately monitor the location and flow of objects. Additionally, there is a continuing goal to determine the location of objects in an inexpensive and streamlined manner. Furthermore, there is a need for tag devices suitably configured to mount to a variety of objects including goods, items, persons, or animals, or substantially any moving or stationary animate or inanimate objects.
One way of tracking objects is with an electronic identification system. An exemplary electronic identification system is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/705,043, which names James O'Toole, John R. Tuttle, Mark E. Tuttle, Tyler Lowrey, Kevin Devereaux, George Pax, Brian Higgins, Shu-Sun Yu, David Ovard and Robert Rotzoll as inventors, which was filed on Aug. 29, 1996, is assigned to the assignee of this patent application, and is fully incorporated herein by reference. Such exemplary radio frequency identification device comprises an integrated circuit including a receiver, a transmitter and a microprocessor. The integrated circuit is preferably a monolithic single die integrated circuit including the receiver, the transmitter and the microprocessor. Preferably, the device further comprises a battery configured to power the integrated circuit. Also preferably, the radio frequency identification device comprises a single die including a receiver, a transmitter and a microprocessor, and the die has a size of less than 90,000 mils.sup.2, more preferably the die has a size of less than 300.times.300 mils.sup.2, even more preferably, the die has a size of less than 37,500 mils , and even more preferably, the die has a size of 209.times.116 mils.sup.2.
A radio frequency identification device, such as the device of patent application Ser. No. 08/705,043, can be a radio frequency (RF) transponder device. When an RF transponder device is utilized in an electronic identification system, the identification system typically comprises an interrogator which is utilized to transmit a command, commonly referred to as an interrogation signal, to the transponder device. The transponder device receives the command and transmits an identification code in response to the command. Transponder devices can frequently be used for substantial lengths of time, permitting them to be reused in multiple inventory control or tracking systems.
It is desirable to develop packaging and packaging methods suitable for storing and using radio frequency identification devices.